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| Pat Neu Claims PWT Victory on Bay de Noc |
The final results at the Optima/Realtree Pro-Am mirror the day two results, because Mother Nature forced cancellation of day three. The In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail directors consulted with the Coast Guard and weather observers.
Faced with three to six foot waves on the Bays at 5 a.m., and predictions for seven to nine footers later in the day, Friday, Aug. 25, and with wind blowing up the entire length of Green Bay from the east-southeast, the final day of the final Regional series presented by MotorGuide was cancelled.
Rookie PWT pro Pat Neu, Forestville, Wis. collected the $46,000 first prize, which included a Lund/Mercury walleye boat. With his ninth place finish at Mobridge, SD, he has pocketed more than $50,000 this season. Neu fished about nine miles south of the Cedar River in 20 feet of water. He was targeting walleyes about 12 to 14 feet down with spinners and nightcrawlers, at less than one mile per hour.
Placing second was pro Todd Riley, Amery, Wis. He won $12,600. He also fished the Cedar River area. Second-year pro Tom Gatzke, Merrill, Wis., with a PWT victory under his belt at Winneconne, Wis., earlier this season, placed third. He fished the Drisco Shoal area with either spinners or Crankbaits, switching his tactics as the Lowrance Electronics showed fish moving up or down in the water column. His winnings for the year totaled $66,000. Gatzke was also named the Tommy Docks Champion as the top-ranked regional pro for the season. He won $5,000 for this honor.
The Lund/Mercury $15,000 walleye boat went to first place amateur/co-angler Paul Skoglund, Waterford, Mich. The Mercury Top Amateur $4,000 award and an invitation to the Championship went to John Mascarello, Plattsmouth, Neb. He fished all four Regionals, and finished 9th, 21st, 22nd and 30th.
The Coleman Big Fish of the Optima/Realtree Pro-Am went to pro Shaun Clauson, Black Hawk, SD and amateur Mike Colombo, Harrison Township, Mich. Clauson won $1,500 and Colombo won $50, for their 10.92-pounder. Three walleyes over 10 pounds came to the scales. The average weight of all fish was 4.38 pounds. Under the state and PWT regulations, each boat was allowed five walleyes to the scales; two could be over 23 inches; three could be from 15 to 23 inches.
Neu was named the Aqua-Vu Rookie of the Year, winning a $2,000 motorized underwater viewing system (MAV). Other rookies qualifying for the Mercury Championship include Jeff Edwards, Shoreview, Minn., Rick Zachowski, Milwaukee, Wis., and Mike Kuzdzal, Ada, Mich.
Ron Gazvoda, Lakewood, Col., winner when the PWT visited Bay de Noc in 2004, bounced back from a dismal day one to nail down the Coleman
Cool Under Pressure award, moving up 45 places. Neil Feck, Traverse, City, Mich., advanced 55 places to claim the amateur Coleman award.
Bob Propst, Jr., Bode, Iowa, winner at Chamberlain, SD earlier this season and the day one leader with 26.66 pounds won the E-Cell Heavyweight $1,000 award.
The top 20 Regional anglers qualified to fish the Mercury Championship. The final standings, tournament results, photos, Championship qualifiers and statistics are featured on the PWT website, www.professionalwalleyetrail.com. The Championship will take place Oct. 13-15 at Bismarck, ND, with stage ceremonies and weigh-in at the Civic Center. An outdoor festival and sportshow will occur in the adjacent Exhibit Hall.
With the tremendous cooperation of the entire community, especially the Delta Chamber of Commerce and the Bays de Noc Convention and Visitors Bureau, both were recognized. Accepting the PWT Superior Achievement awards for their valuable assistance were Jalene Polkey from the Chamber and Steve Masters with the CVB.
The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, and PRIMEDIA, America's leading producer of targeted media. PWT promotional partners include: Mercury Marine, Lund, The Outdoor Channel, Berkley, Optima Batteries, Realtree, MotorGuide, Lowrance, MinnKota, Trilene, Frenzy, Blue Fox, Powerbait, Johnsonville Brats, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, GULP!, Coleman, Storm, Tommy Docks, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, E-Village, Kwik Pfyt, Raymarine, Rapala, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Gerbing's Heated Clothing, Aqua-Vu, Plano, Stowmaster.net, Navionics, Yellow Bird, Beckman, Drift Control, Gemini Sport Marketing, Yo-Zuri , Reef Runner, Delta Chamber of Commerce, 906.786.2192 and Bay de Noc CVB., 906.789.7862.
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| Propst Jr. Takes PWT Lead at Bay De Noc |
Bob Propst, Jr. grabbed the day one lead in the Optima/Realtree Pro-Am on Bay de Noc at Escanaba, Michigan. The Iowa angler won earlier this year, and has netted $68,794 so far on the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail this season.
Propst, like many of the anglers fishing the final event of the season, trolled south of Escanaba for 26.66 pounds. Pros and their amateur/co-angler partners trolled crankbaits or spinners across the vast expanses of Bay de Noc water. They keyed on forage they saw on their Lowrance electronics or near the various rock "humps and reefs." Some of the walleyes were high in the water column; others were close to the bottom.
The final two days take place Thursday and Friday, Aug. 24 and 25, with the weigh-in ceremonies at the Escanaba Municipal Marina. The stage action starts at 3 p.m. On Friday, the year-end awards will recognize the winners, and fans will learn their specific tactics. The Tommy Docks Champion will win $5,000. The race leader going into the tournament was Ron Gazvoda, Lakewood, Col., but he zeroed on day one.
Tom Gatzke, Merrill, Wis., who was in third place in the Regional series presented by MotorGuide, now leads on the strength of a 25.56-pound catch. His 5-fish limit was only a pound behind Propst. Rookie pro Pat Neu, Forestville, Wis., captured the third place position with 23.90 pounds. Past PWT Champion Mark Brumbaugh, Arcanum, Ohio, is in fourth with 23.38 pounds, and Todd Riley, Amery, Wis., is in fifth with 22.14 pounds.
The Coleman Big Fish was landed by pro Kim "Chief" Papineau, Escanaba, and his amateur/co-angler partner Steve Koepp, West Bend, Wis.
Their heavyweight 10.06-pounder could be worth $2,000, if it holds. Papineau, a 15-year PWT touring pro, was set to fish all eight PWT tournaments, but health issues forced him to recuperate all spring and summer, but catching the big fish of the day proves he's back.
Ray Kiel, Bowling Green, MO, fished with Propst and took the lead in the amateur/co-angler standings. The amateur winner tows home a Lund walleye boat powered by a Mercury outboard, a $15,000 prize.
Photos, standings and scores are featured on the PWT website, www.professionalwalleyetrail.com. During the afternoon weigh-ins, scores are posted immediately as anglers cross the stage on the Mercury Real-Time Leader Board.
The PWT is an integral element of the In-Fisherman Communications Network headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, and PRIMEDIA, America's leading producer of targeted media. PWT promotional partners include: Mercury Marine, Lund, The Outdoor Channel, Berkley, Optima Batteries, Realtree, MotorGuide, Lowrance, MinnKota, Trilene, Frenzy, Blue Fox, Powerbait, Johnsonville Brats, Northland Fishing Tackle, Lindy Legendary Fishing Tackle, GULP!, Coleman, Storm, Tommy Docks, Smooth Moves Seat Mounts, E-Village, Kwik Pfyt, Raymarine, Rapala, Pflueger, Ram rod holders, Gerbing's Heated Clothing, Aqua-Vu, Plano, Stowmaster.net, Navionics, Yellow Bird, Beckman, Drift Control, Gemini Sport Marketing, Yo-Zuri , Reef Runner and the Delta Chamber of Commerce, 906.786.2192 and the Bay de Noc Convention & Visitors Bureau, 906.789.786 |
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